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For Miami Dolphins Fans, It Is A Case Of Optimism Vs Reality

Ok look, we all know about the draft picks and the free agent acquisitions the Miami Dolphins made in the off season. We went after a slew of Line Backers this year, and equally as many Team Captains. So now it comes down to what they can contribute for the following year.

Many of us have jumped on the band wagon and the talk of the town is how much better we are. I agree we are better than last year. The additions of Marshall and Dansby are, most certainly, huge improvements. Those improvements paired along with the other changes mean we are going to be better.

So I'm wondering, are we going to be as good as the hype?

Not likely, or at least not this year.

Why?

Well mostly because we were Awful last year on Defense. I took sometime to look up a few things in yahoo sports. On defense here are the facts from just the AFC East (I sound like Joe Friday of Dragnet days).

We were last in points allowed per game 24.4, and the Bills allowed 4 points less than we did a game. We were last in yards per game 349.3, 3rd against the run, last in passing defense per game with 234.6 by 24 yards, last in interceptions for the year, and tied for last in forced fumbles 11 on the year. And, I saved the best for last: 2nd in passes defensed, and finally, 1st in sacks.

Folks this Defense is AWFUL!

Now we can sit here all day long and talk about how much better we are, but there are only 2 things we know with relative certainty: Brandon Marshall is way better than Ted Ginn, and Karlos Dansby is much more than just a step up. But that is about it as far as you can go with positive improvements. The rest is all "IF'S"

If Chad Henne is better. If Ronnie Brown has recovered. If Channing Crowder is recovered from the same injury that Brown has. If Cameron Wake is the real deal. If Clemons can step up, or if Reshad Jones will instead. If Sean Smith and Vontae Davis progress. If AJ Edds and Koa Misi are as good as advertised. If we can stop the run. If we defend the pass. If we can cover a tight end, and any tight end at all would help. If we can stop the long bombs that seemed to beat us every week.

Maybe every team has those questions. I don't know, and I don't care. The reality of this is, those "IF'S" better be more than just positive thinking. They have to be true.